The New York Giants are trusting Eli Manning and Brandon Marshall to get on the same page by the 2017 NFL season. Damon Harrison is confident they will.
The New York Giants have a tandem of potential Hall of Famers on the offensive side of the ball. Quarterback Eli Manning is a two-time Super Bowl champion, and wide receiver Brandon Marshall has gaudy statistics that could earn him a spot in Canton.
2017 will be the first year that the grizzled veterans play as teammates, but that’s a challenge that Manning and Marshall are eager to overcome.
One could make a case that Manning has never played with as much offensive firepower as will be at his disposal in 2017. The key to the paper roster translating to the field will be the production and veteran leadership supplied by Marshall.
During a recent appearance on NFL Network, Giants defensive tackle Damon Harrison provided insight into just how committed Marshall and Manning are to learning one another’s tendencies.
"“It’s not surprising at all [that they video chatted],” Harrison said on “Good Morning Football” on NFL Network. “Between those two guys, they are very detailed. Eli, the moment we signed Brandon and we went back into work, Eli was in my ear asking me everything about Brandon. And when Brandon got here, I was able to be at the facility his first day, and he was asking everything about [Eli]. I worked with both, and I told them they’re going to get tired of each other just picking each other’s brains all the time.”"
Calm down, Giants fans; the last comment by Snacks is merely a joke.
For those unfamiliar, Harrison has unique perspective on Manning and Marshall. He played a full season with Marshall on the New York Jets in 2015, and spent the 2016 campaign with Manning as a member of the Giants.
Thus, if anyone can confidently comment on what it is that makes Manning and Marshall special, it’s the All-Pro who practices opposite them.
The fact that Harrison can attest to both individuals being inquisitive and willing to take the extra step offers further reason for intrigue.
Marshall has 941 career receptions, 12,061 career receiving yards, and 82 career receiving touchdowns, but he’s never once appeared in a postseason game. Unfortunately, he’s never once appeared in a postseason game.
The hope is that Manning can help Marshall experience that elusive level of postseason success—a realistic possibility following New York’s 11-5 campaign in 2016.
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As Damon Harrison tells it, Brandon Marshall and Eli Manning are already working towards the ultimate goal of a Super Bowl. The New York Giants are in good hands.